Dear Friend of the YMCA,

Whenever our community is faced with a crisis, whenever we see a neighbor who needs support, our Y stands ready to help with open arms and caring hearts. Thanks to generous donors like you, The Greater Wyoming Valley Area YMCA is doing BIG things in our region- providing safe, nurturing spaces for children to learn, grow, and thrive.

Because we know that you share a passion for this community, we are excited to invite you to this Annual Kentucky Derby event. The 2023 event successfully raised over $100,000 in support of programming and an endowment to further expand these critical services.

Our YMCA has recently increased capacity for feeding programs and much-needed child care services to address some of our biggest challenges. The Kentucky Derby event has been part of the catalyst of growth for the Y, allowing us to:

• Proudly serve working families at 5 different child care sites in Luzerne County
• Provide over150,000 healthy meals and snacks to over 950 children and youth in just one year
• Ensure high quality care, now hosting three Keystone STAR 4 child care branches
• Continue to expand into new communities as we work collectively to ensure the best services and outreach for our area

Now as we prepare for the 5th Annual Kentucky Derby event, we are looking forward to coming together again to celebrate youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.

Kindly review the attached event information, online auction and sponsorship opportunities with RSVPs due by April 15th.

Sincerely,
Lissa Bryan-Smith
&
Constance Scott
Kentucky Derby Co-Chairs

Jim Thomas
CEO GWVA YMCA